tiger 1:3.2.3-8 / usr / lib / tiger / doc / permissions.txt

%perm001a
The owner of the indicated file is not correct.  This is a serious security
problem and may indicate that an intrusion has occurred.  The system should
be checked and cleaned.  The owner of the file should be corrected.
%perm001f
The owner of the indicated file is not correct.  With the incorrect ownership,
a vulnerability may exist.  The owner of the file should be corrected.
%perm001w
The owner of the indicated file is not what is considered best for security
reasons.  Unless you have a specific reason for not changing the ownership,
this should be corrected.
%perm002a
The group owner of the indicated file is not correct.  This is a serious
security problem and may indicate that an intrusion has occurred.  The
system should be checked and cleaned.  The group owner of the file should be
corrected.
%perm002f
The group owner of the indicated file is not correct.  With the incorrect
group ownership, a vulnerability may exist.  The group owner of the file
should be corrected.
%perm002w
The group owner of the indicated file is not what is considered best for
security reasons.  Unless you have a specific reason for not changing the
ownership, this should be corrected.
%perm003a
The access permissions of the indicated file are incorrect.  This may
indicate an intrusion has occurred.  In any event, it is a serious security
problem and should be corrected immediately.  The system should also be
checked for signs of intrusion.
%perm003f
The access permissions of the indicated file are incorrect.  This may
create a vulnerability in the system.  This should be corrected immediately.
%perm003w
The access permissions of the indicated file are not what is considered
best for security.  Unless you have a reason for not doing so, the permissions
should be corrected.
%perm004c
No file permissions database can be found.  This will prevent the
checks of file ownerships to be performed.  This likely indicates
that a complete port has not been done for this platform.
%perm005a
The /etc/security directory contains security information that should
not be accessible by non-root users.  The owner should be root, and group
and world should have only search access (mode 711).  The directory
unfortunately must be search-able because of some library routines which
check for the existence of the security.adjunct file.  The files in the
directory should be mode 600.
%perm006w
The configuration files (.login, .profile, etc) should be not be writable
by non-root users.  In addition, the .rhosts file should not be readable
or writable by non-root users.
%perm007f
The /etc/aliases, /etc/aliases.dir and /etc/aliases.pag files should not
be writable by non-root users.  On SunOS 4 systems, these files are
shipped world writable.  The permissions should be 644 on all three
files.  If left writable, program aliases can be added which can
allow unauthorized access.
%perm008w
The /etc/exports (or equivalent) file should not be writable by anyone
other than root.  If a non-root user can modify the file, unauthorized
privileges can be obtained.  There is also no reason for this file
to be readable by anyone other than root.  Making it unreadable, reduces
the information available to an intruder attempting to gain privileged
access.
%perm009f
The /etc/group file should not be writable by anyone other than root.
If a non-root user can modify the file, unauthorized privileges can
be obtained.
%perm010w
The /etc/hosts.allow and /etc/hosts.deny files (from Wietse Venema's
tcp_wrapper package) should not be writable by non-root users.  If
they are writable, the protection provided by the package can be
bypassed.  In addition, if all of the daemons protected by tcp_wrapper
run as `root', then the file does not need to be readable by non-root
users.  Making the permissions 600, reduces the information available
to an intruder attempting to gain privileges.  If any daemons are
run as non-root users though, this is not possible.
%perm011w
The /etc/hosts.equiv and /etc/hosts.lpd files define trusted hosts.
The hosts.equiv file defines the trusted hosts for the Berkeley 'R'
commands (rsh, rlogin), while the hosts.lpd file defines trusted hosts
for the print system.  If the hosts.equiv or hosts.lpd file is writable
by users other than root, then unauthorized privileges or access may
be gained.  In addition, there is no reason for non-root users to be
able to read these files.  Making them unreadable reduces the information
available to an intruder attempting to gain privileges.
%perm012w
The /etc/inetd.conf file defines the network daemons controlled by
`inetd'.  If this file is writable by non-root users, then unauthorized
access can be obtained.  In addition, it is not necessary that this file
be readable by non-root users.  Making the file unreadable reduces the
information available to an intruder attempting to gain privileges.
%perm013f
The /etc/netgroup file defines network groups which consist of machines
and users.  Allowing write access can allow unauthorized access or
privileges.
%perm014a
If /etc/passwd is writable by non-root users, then new login id's
can be added to the system.  Unauthorized access or privileges can
easily be obtained.  If the file is world writable, this is a possible
indication that the system has been compromised.  The system should
be checked for other signs of intrusion.
%perm015f
The 'rc.*' scripts are executed during system startup.  If they are
writable by non-root users, then unauthorized access or privileges can
be obtained.  In addition, there is no need for these files to be world
readable.  Making them unreadable reduces the information available to
an intruder attempting to gain privileges.
%perm016w
The /etc/resolv.conf file is used to designate where Domain Name
Service is to be obtained.  If this file is writable by non-root
users, then unauthorized access or privileges may be obtained.
This file does need to be world readable however.
%perm017w
The /etc/utmp file should not be writable by non-root users.  This
is a security vulnerability.  Unfortunately, on SunOS 4 systems, the
SunView and OpenWindows 'cmdtool' and 'shelltool' programs do not
function correctly if it is not.  If you are not using these tools,
then you should set the permissions to 644.
%perm018a
The root directory should be protected from changes by non-root users.
If the directory is writable by non-root users, unauthorized access
or privileges can be obtained.
%perm019a
The /etc directory should be owned by root and should not be writable
by group or world.  As shipped, SunOS 4 systems have the /etc directory
owned by the user `bin'.  This is *incorrect*.
%perm020w
The indicated disk device file is world readable, writable or both.  This
allows the file access controls to be bypassed.  The world permissions
should be removed.
%perm021w
The indicated disk device file is group readable, writable or both by the
indicated group.  This allows users in this group to bypass the file
access controls.  Many systems allow a group such as `operator' to have
read access so that backups can be performed.  Group write access is
*not* needed and should be removed.  If backups are performed by the
`root' account, then group read permissions are not needed and should
be removed.
%perm022w
The indicated disk device file is not owned by `root'.  This allows the
owner of the disk device to bypass the systems file access controls.
The owner should be changed to `root'.
%perm023a
The indicated file has the setuid bit set, but it should not have it.
This should be changed by using 'chmod u-s file' where 'file' is the
indicated file.  The system should be checked for signs of intrusion.
%perm024a
The indicated file has the setgid (group) bit set, but it should not
have it.  This should be changed by using 'chmod g-s file' where 'file'
is the indicated file.  The system should be checked for signs of
intrusion.
%perm025w
If the 'arp' program is 'setgid', it can be used to read files that a user
normally should not be able to read.  On many systems, this includes
/dev/kmem and /dev/mem.  Turning the 'setgid' bit off will result in the
loss of 'arp -a' functionality for a normal user account. (On SunOS 5.x
systems, even this functionality isn't lost... there is no reason for
'arp' to be setgid).  This is a minor loss of functionality.
%perm26f
The file '/etc/login.access' provides finer control over user
access, it can be modified to allow or disallow remote access
to privileged accounts.  If this file is writable by non-root
users, then unauthorized access or privileges may be obtained.
%perm27f
The file '/etc/login.conf' is used by default on some BSD systems, 
it can be used to set up user environment and to set policy and
accounting restrictions. Since this file provides control over user
access, if this file is writable by non-root
users, then unauthorized access or privileges may be obtained.
%perm28f
The file '/etc/login.defs' is used by default on some Linux systems, 
it can be used to set up user environment and to set policy and
accounting restrictions (such as password aging), as it defines 
configuration control definitions for the login package.
Since this file provides control over user access, if this file
is writable by non-root users, then unauthorized access or privileges 
may be obtained.
%perm29f
The configuration files for PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules)
are used by default on many Unix systems, it can be used to set up
the environment for some services and defined the policy for its
access.  Since this file provides control over user access, if this file
is writable by non-root users, then unauthorized access or privileges 
may be obtained.

More information about PAM is available from:
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/libs/pam/
and
http://www.sun.com/solaris/pam/
%perm30f
The configuration files (/etc/ttys, /etc/default/login, /etc/security 
or /etc/securetty depending on the operating system) determines
access to users based on what consoles are they logged in.
Since this file provides control over user access, if this file
is writable by non-root users, then unauthorized access or privileges 
may be obtained.